An introduction to the ways in which psychological principles and theories of development apply to educational practice. The focus will be on the basic processes of development — cognitive, social and personality, moral, emotional, physical, language — from infancy through adolescence with special reference to their relationship to learning and instruction. The psychology of learning, motivation and social factors in education will also be considered. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and PSY 1200.

A study of the theoretical bases of curriculum planning and design, and of the influences of learner, society, and knowledge sources on the process of curriculum development and classroom instruction. Emphasis will be placed on the selection, planning and implementation of teaching strategies, methodologies, and instructional materials appropriate for individualized and group instruction. Prerequisites: EDU 2210, EDU 2300, and admission to the School.

This course explores strategies for integrating literacy into secondary content areas, including content-specific vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. Teachers will be exposed to literacy strategies (listening, speaking, thinking, reading, and writing) as they relate to the content areas. Teachers will learn to create content-specific lessons that integrate differentiated literacy strategies to ensure all learners succeed.

This is an introductory course designed to expose enrollees to children with exceptionalities. It will focus on the various categories of disabilities, the associated characteristics, etiology, prevalence, causes, and academic interventions based on the nature of the disability. The legal framework for services for students with disabilities as well as litigation that impacted legislation in the area will be explored. The foundation of special education along with current issues in special education will form a part of the course. Embedded in this course is 10 hours of classroom field work. Students will be required to work with or observe children with disabilities in preschool and/or elementary settings, offering direct exposure to and interaction with students with disabilities.

Practice application of audiovisual methods and materials for instruction including the operation of equipment, computer uses and the planning and effective use of instructional technology with special emphasis on the development and use of training aids. Prerequisite: Admission to the School of Education.

Principles and practices for managing classroom behavior including preventive strategies, group and individual techniques, and social, cultural, and psychological concerns. Emphasis is on the development of a personal philosophy and approach to effective classroom management. Prerequisites: EDU 2500 (may be taken concurrently) and admission to the School.

This course engages students in analyzing and reflecting on their current teaching practices to strengthen and extend their professional understanding of effective teaching and instruction. Students will plan and structure their own professional development through self-study and build a reflective portfolio to provide evidence into their professional growth and development. Students will learn how to engage in action research to empower their teaching practice and assess the quality of their teaching to maximize their pupils’ learning potential.

Study of measurement and evaluation techniques appropriate to the assessment of classroom instruction. Emphasis will be placed on test construction, criterion-referenced and norm-referenced testing, and on alternative evaluative procedures used to measure and report student progress. Prerequisites: EDU 2500 and admission to the School of Education.    

This course, designed for practicing elementary and secondary teachers who are employed full-time in Virgin Islands schools, but lack a course in student teaching or school internship, exposes students to research-based instructional practices and builds competence in teaching procedures and methodologies, classroom management, teacher-student relations, professional relationships, and oral and written communication. It provides students an opportunity to practice sound pedagogy within their own classrooms under the supervision of a university instructor. Prerequisites: A practicing teacher of three or more years with a bachelor’s degree and completion of pedagogy courses identified by the VI Board of Education as needed for certification.